The present invention relates to a heat-emitting element cooling apparatus for cooling a heat-emitting element such as an electronic component.
Conventional heat-emitting element cooling apparatuses include a fan unit and a heat sink having a base and a plurality of radiation fins. In these apparatuses, a heat-emitting element to be cooled is mounted on the rear surface of the base, and the radiation fins are provided at the base. The fun unit is arranged or disposed on the heat sink, for blowing air along at least the radiation fins to promote heat dissipation from the radiation fins. In these heat-emitting element cooling apparatuses, heat generated from the heat-emitting element is transferred from the base to the radiation fins. Then, the air flowing from the fan unit along the radiation fins carries away the heat of the radiation fins, thereby cooling the heat-emitting element.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,680 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,228 disclose an electronic component cooling apparatus where a heat sink provided with a plurality of radiation fins arranged on a base, being parallel to each other, is cooled by a fan unit. In these apparatuses, an air flow space is defined or formed between a fan casing and the radiation fins of the heat sink. This space is open in the direction where the radiation fins extend.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,110 discloses an electronic component cooling apparatus in which a plurality of parting slits for interrupting continuity of a part of base and a plurality of radiation fins that extend in parallel to each other are provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,209 discloses an electronic component cooling apparatus provided with a plurality of radiation fins radially arranged on a base. In this apparatus, a fan casing has a skirt that surrounds a space formed above the radiation fins.
The publication of European Pat. Application No. EP0856888A2 discloses a cooling apparatus in which a plurality of slits are formed in the peripheral portion of a base having pin-type radiation fins so as to let wind fed from a fan unit pass below the base through the slits.
In recent years, with the higher performance of a heat-emitting element such as an electronic component, a larger amount of heat is generated from the heat-emitting element. Accordingly, there have been the demands for further enhancing cooling effect of the heat-emitting element cooling apparatus without increasing the size of the heat sink and also without increasing the weight of the apparatus.